Schedule
Schedule of Leading Voices
July 5-10, 2025
Friday, July 4th in the afternoon
Conducting masterclass – Risto Joost
(selected active participants are expected to arrive in the morning of July 4th)
20.00 Leading Voices concert at St. John’s Church in Tallinn
Wakayama Children’s Choir (Japan), Espressa Women’s Choir (Canada), Male Choir Homme (Estonia)
Saturday, July 5th
Early arrival (for participants who would like to see parade and 1st concert of Song Celebration)
13.00 Song Celebration parade from centre to Song Celebration Ground
19.30 Opening ceremony and 1st concert of Song Celebration at Song Celebration Ground (ends appr at 23.00)
Ticket to the opening ceremony and 1st concert is not included in the participation fee. You can buy the ticket yourself HERE
Sunday, July 6th
14.00 Main concert of Song Celebration at Song Celebration Ground (ends appr at 21.00)
Ticket to the main concert of Song Celebration is included in the participation fee for foreign participants (special price for Estonians doesn’t include ticket to Song Celebration).
Participants arriving before 1 pm will automatically be sent their ticket in advance.
Please note: Participants arriving later than 1 pm will be contacted by us to see if they would still be able to attend (parts of) the concert, then we will also send them the ticket, or if they will be arriving too late for the concert.
You can find more information about the Song Celebration HERE
The schedule of July 7-9 is subject to change, although at the moment we suspect minor changes.
Monday, July 7th
Download a schedule (pdf): Monday, July 7th
08:30 Registration for those who could not register on Sunday or are coming with one day ticket
09:30-10:15 Plenary Session:
Open Singing by Basilio Astulez (Basque Country / Spain)
Keynote speech: Why We Sing: the Impact of a UNESCO Heritage Song Festival on Collective Wellbeing (Indre Viskontas, USA/Lithuania)
Info on the day
10:30-12:00
Workshop: Luca Scaccabarozzi (Italy) What Makes a Choir Sound Great?
Workshop: Irene Verburg (Netherlands) The Power of Conducting Gestures
Workshop: Tomas Staniulis (Lithuania) Artificial Intelligence in Daily Life
Lecture: Deke Sharon (USA) Arranging for Vocal Groups & Choirs in Pop/Jazz Style
Masterclass: Risto Joost (Estonia) Conducting masterclass
LAB 1: Jesper Holm (Denmark) only for pre-registered participants!
LAB 2: Lone Larsen (Sweden) only for pre-registered participants!
Masterclass: Ēriks Ešenvalds (Latvia) only for pre-registered participants!
10:30-13:30 Individual mentoring: Lessons of conducting and voice placing (open for everyone, sign up on the spot)
12.00-12.30 Coffee break
12:30-13:30
Panel discussion: Moderated by Imre Ploeg Gender roles in choral music, past and present
Lecture: Tom Johnson (Belgium) Harmony in Diversity
Reading Session: Discover Baltic repertoire with the help of Musica
Lecture: Raul Talmar (Estonia) The Soul of a Nation: Artistic Concept of Estonian Song Celebration
Masterclass: Risto Joost (Estonia) Conducting masterclass
LAB 1: Jesper Holm (Denmark) only for pre-registered participants!
LAB 2: Lone Larsen (Sweden) only for pre-registered participants!
Masterclass: Ēriks Ešenvalds (Latvia) only for pre-registered participants!
13:30-15:00 Lunch break
14.15 – 14.45 lunch concert in the foyer
15:00-16:30
Workshop: Elisa dal Corso (Italy) Find Your Broadway Voice
Lecture: Indre Viskontas (Lithuania/USA) How Music Can Make Your Brain Better
Lecture: Hans Helsen (Belgia) Songs They Want to Sing: Composing for Youth Choirs
Lecture: Elise Bradley (New Zealand) Inside the Rehearsal: Methods for Children’s Choir Success
Masterclass: Risto Joost (Estonia) Conducting masterclass
15:00-18.00 Individual mentoring: Lessons of conducting and voice placing (open for everyone, sign up on the spot)
16:30-17:00 Coffee break
17:00-18:00
Lounge: Hosted by Sonja Greiner (DE) International Cooperation in the Choral World – meet your colleagues!
Lecture: Basilio Astulez (Basque Country / Spain) Music in Motion: Movement for Children and Youth
Lecture: Karin Courtnay (Austria) Communication strategies in the choral field
Panel: Moderated by Raul Talmar (Estonia) Discussion about different styles of musical Leadership
Reading Session: Carus Verlag & Mary Ellen Kitchens (US/DE) Choral Gems by Women Composers: Voices Across Time and Borders
Individual mentoring: Lessons of conducting and voice placing (open for everyone, sign up on the spot)
18:00 Coffee break
19:00 Concert: Estonian National Male Choir (Mikk Üleoja), Jazzchoir Musta Lammas (Ida Olsonen)
22:00 Night-Concert in Niguliste Church: Vox Clamantis (Jaan-Eik Tulve)
Tuesday, July 8th
Download a schedule (pdf): Tuesday, July 8th
09:30-10:15 Plenary Session
Open Singing by Siri Myggen (Denmark)
Keynote speech: Using music & singing to welcome people to society (Tom Johnson, Belgium)
Info on the day
10:30-12:00
Lecture: Marko Lõhmus (Estonia) How to Move 23,000 Singers: Inside the Song Celebration Logistics
Workshop: Risto Joost (Estonia) Music Through Time: Understanding Style and Interpretation
Workshop: Claes Wegener (Denmark) Warming Up with Complete Vocal Technique (CVT)
Lecture: Claudia Franzen (Netherlands) New forms of youth collective singing
LAB 1: Jesper Holm (Denmark) only for pre-registered participants!
LAB 2: Lone Larsen (Sweden) only for pre-registered participants!
Masterclass: Ēriks Ešenvalds (Latvia) only for pre-registered participants!
10:30-13:30 Individual mentoring: Lessons of conducting and voice placing (open for everyone, sign up on the spot)
12:00-12:30 Coffee break
12:30-13:30
Lecture. Jean-Claude Wilkens (France) Copy, Right? Understanding Copyright in Choral Music
Workshop: Felix Powroslo (Germany) Own the Room: Public Speaking for Choir Leaders
Workshop: Tom Johnson (Belgium) Everyone Sings: A Guide to Open Singing
Presentation: Moderated by Sophie Dowden (UK). Sophie Dowden & SWAN Beyond Barriers: Accessible Choral Practices for Social Impact
LAB 1: Jesper Holm (Denmark) only for pre-registered participants!
LAB 2: Lone Larsen (Sweden) only for pre-registered participants!
Masterclass: Ēriks Ešenvalds (Latvia) only for pre-registered participants!
13:30-15:00 Lunch break
14:15-14:45 lunch concert in the foyer
15:00-16:30 Workshop: Deke Sharon (USA) Contemporary A Cappella
Lecture: Siri Myggen (Denmark) When the Classroom Sings
Workshop: Zurab Tskrialashvili (Georgia) Georgian Polyphony: Tradition in Harmony
Presentation: Moderated by Sonja Greiner (Germany) What the choral and vocal world has to offer – where to go and how to find useful online tools
LAB Results Concert: Jesper Holm (DK) with Musta Lammas (FI)
15:00-18:00 Individual mentoring: Lessons of conducting and voice placing (open for everyone, sign up on the spot)
16:30-17:00 Coffee break
17:00-18:00
Lounge: Hosted by Jean-Claude Wilkens (France) Join us in a relaxed setting to connect with publishers, exchange insights, and discuss all aspects of the publishing world.
Presentation: Kai Kiiv (Estonia) If you plan to study in Estonia – studying opportunities in Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
Lecture: Umut Eldem (Belgium/Turkey) Creative Futures: Where AI Meets Music
Panel: Moderated by Kjetil Aamann (Norway) When the Music Moves You: Choreography in Choral Performance
Final Concert of Conducting Masterclass: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Program: Debussy, Martin, Poulenc, Pärt, Rakhmaninov, Sibelius, Tormis Conducting: active participants of the master class
18:00 Coffee break
19:00 Concert: Boys’ Choir of Estonian National Opera (Hirvo Surva) and Jauna Muzika (Vaclovas Augustinas, LT)
22:00 Night Concert: Estonian Voices (Kadri Voorand)
Wednesday, July 9th
Download a schedule (pdf): Wednesday, July 9th
09:30-10:15 Plenary Session:
Open Singing by Ida Olsen (FI)
Keynote speech: Encouraging young composers (Vaclovas Augustinas, LT)
Info on the day
10:30-12:00
Workshop: Tom Johnson (Belgium) Teaching songs without scores
Lecture: Toomas Siitan (Estonia) Voicing the Word: Arvo Pärt’s Choral World
Workshop: Claes Wegener (Denmark) Unlock Your Voice with Complete Vocal Technique (CVT)
Workshop: Jesper Holm (Denmark) Teaching rhythmic music
LAB 1: Lone Larsen (Sweden) only for pre-registered participants!
Masterclass: Ēriks Ešenvalds (Latvia) only for pre-registered participants!
10:30-13:30 Individual mentoring: Lessons of conducting and voice placing (open for everyone, sign up on the spot)
12:00-12.30 Coffee break
12:30-13:30
Open rehearsal: Hirvo Surva (Estonia) Open rehearsal of the Boys’ Choir of Estonian National Opera
Presentation: Ester Petri and Jan Schumacher (Germany) The World’s First Choral Conducting App: Practicing with the Conductor’s Coach
Panel: Moderated by Yiğit Deniz (TR) Panel on advocacy for and communication about collective singing – developing a vision for the future of the choral sector
Reading Session: SuLaSol & Reijo Kekkonen (FI) Sulasol New approachable Finnish compositions for choir
LAB 1: Lone Larsen (Sweden) only for pre-registered participants!
Masterclass: Ēriks Ešenvalds (Latvia) only for pre-registered participants!
13:30-15:00 Lunch break
14.15-14.45 lunch concert in the foyer
15:00-16:30
Workshop: Felix Powroslo (Germany) Stage presence
Workshop: Anna Fűri (Hungary) Kodály for Little Ears
Workshop: Kjetil Aamann (Norway) Piano accompaniment for music teachers, using piano in choir rehearsal
Workshop: Elise Bradley (New Zealand) Singing in Color: Vowels, Balance and Intonation
Presentation: Moderated by Sophie Dowden (GB) Singing Without Limits: Collective Singing for All Ages, Abilities and Needs
15:00-18:00 Individual mentoring: Lessons of conducting and voice placing (open for everyone, sign up on the spot)
16:30-17:00 Coffee break
17:00-18:00
Workshop: Deke Sharon (USA) Music Director’s Toolkit: how to run a great rehearsal
Lounge: Hosted by Marleen De Boo (Belgium) Meet music educators & children’s choir conductors
Panel discussion: Shaping the Future: Rethinking Higher Music Education (needs, different roles of conductors etc)
Reading Session: Stuart Overington (GB) Oxford University Press, Concert Works for a Changing World: Humans & Earth in Harmony
Lab Concert: see the results! Lone Larsen and Ēriks Ešenvalds with Jauna Muzika
18:00 Coffee break
19:00 Final Concert of Leading Voices: Boys’ Choir of Estonian National Opera (conductor Hirvo Surva), Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (Tõnu Kaljuste), Jauna Muzika (Vaclovas Augustinas), Musta Lammas (Ida Olsonen)
Thursday, July 10th
Departure
